Although cup holders and the like, for various beverage containers, are generally known -- both to provide a holder which avoids direct hand contact with hot or overly cold containers and to provide a handle for such containers as do not otherwise include one -- they are seldom if ever collapsible to the extent, at least, that they will lie relatively flat for simple and convenient storage when not in use.
The need for such a holder or handle serving device is particularly obvious as regards hot beverages dispensed in cups by vending machines in office, factory locations, and elsewhere. Such cups may include folding handle parts, made as part of the cup, but they are far from stable or adequate and direct contact with the hot beverage container is still usually necessary and, as a consequence, they are infrequently used.
For hot soups and the like there is seldom any carrying device, beyond the container itself.
What is needed is a relatively simple and therefor inexpensive folding handle device of some type which is collapsible to fold flat, when not in use, and is sufficiently light in weight and compact to be carried in a shirt or trouser pocket, or a woman's purse and, conceivably, might even be of such relative size and low cost as to be capable of being dispensed, itself, from a vending machine and to be a relatively disposable item, in some instances.
At the same time, it must obviously be capable of providing good stable support and a carrying handle for its intended purpose when in use.